The Global Entrepreneurship Research Network (GERN) Ecosystem Mapping Project - which aims to advance both understanding and support of entrepreneurial ecosystems by creating the largest and best-maintained database of entrepreneurship ecosystems in the world - has already produced visualisation tools for two cities, New York City (mapped by Endeavor Insight) and Cairo (mapped by Mercy Corps).
MaRS and Nesta were the first to join lead member Endeavor Insight for this collaborative project. These three original members have developed the mission of extending the mapping work to 100 cities around the world within the next five years, which would yield the first ever large comparable set of ecosystem maps.
Nesta is funding an open method guide that will make it possible to achieve replication in 100 cities.
Mercy Corps, the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank have already committed to produce these comparable, open-access visualization tools for ten more cities by the end of 2015:
1.Buenos Aires
2.Cambridge
3.London
4.Medellin
5.Mexico City
6.Oxford
7.Santiago
8.Sao Paulo
9.Singapore
10.Toronto
Cambridge entrepreneurs can take part in the survey behind the map here.
All members involved agree to use the same GERN-validated methodology. The data sets collected to produce the maps for each city are licensed to GERN for sharing with other researchers upon request, for non-profit purposes. It combines data from AngelList, CrunchBase, and LinkedIn with interviews with local tech entrepreneurs.
To request access to the database, please send your request to project director Rhett Morris ([email protected]).
About the GERN Ecosystem Mapping Project
Project Director: Rhett Morris, Endeavor Insight ([email protected])
GERN Members: Nesta, MaRS, and Endeavor Insight forged the project, setting the goals and parameters for collaboration. They have now been joined by Mercy Corps, the World Bank, and the Inter-American Development Bank.
Project Overview: The Ecosystem Mapping Project aims to advance both understanding and support of entrepreneurial ecosystems by creating the largest and best-maintained database of entrepreneurship ecosystems in the world. The project will combine a comprehensive and current database, to include 100 cities within the next five years, with an easy-to-use, open access visualization tool. Researchers and practitioners will be able to query the database along multiple analytical dimensions. Visualizations created with the data will allow users both to discover large-scale patterns characterizing entrepreneurship ecosystems and to identify particular actors—entrepreneurs, investors, mentors and others—within particular ecosystems.